Easy prey

July 20, 2013Letters to the Editor

I am the owner of the six horses illegally seized in Chicora by Equine Angels founder Pam Vivirito and associates. I am writing because these organizations practicing in Butler and surrounding counties should be required to operate at the utmost high standards of honesty and integrity that the people of Western Pennsylvania are accustomed to.

Five horse owners filed an extortion and racketeering lawsuit against Vivirito and others involved in these illegal seizures of horses, Trooper Shawn King and Equine Angels veterinarian Brian Burks.

There are countless other victims before us who have contacted attorneys and are now surveying their legal options against these illegal seizure of horses.

We as Butler County residents have all found ourselves in similar situations with strong-arm tactics of companies and organizations wanting our land and property. We trust them to hold themselves to the same standard of honesty and integrity that we live our daily lives by, then find ourselves easy prey because we are trusting people.

The proposed guidelines by District Attorney Rich Goldinger in dealing with future allegations of equine neglect is a step in the right direction. Organizations handling any new protocol in place need to use a neutral veterinarian and not one of their own. They must work under the highest levels of honesty and integrity or face prosecution themselves and not be influenced by money, power or greed.

In closing I would like to thank my friends, family and neighbors who have supported me through this experience as well as my newfound friends who have experienced the same problems with Equine Angels and its associates.